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| Georgia General Assembly |
HB339.html
01 LC 28 0090
House Bill
339
By: Representative Richardson of the
26th
A BILL TO BE
ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 33 of Title 31 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to health records, so as to provide that copies of
health records may be requested by a
patient´s
authorized agent; to provide a time period in which such records must be
furnished; to provide a penalty for failing to comply with the provisions of law
concerning the provision of health records; to provide for a maximum cost for
such records; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 33 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to health records, is amended by striking subsection (a) of
Code Section 31-33-2, relating to furnishing a copy of records to the patient or
a provider, in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof a new subsection (a),
and by adding a new subsection (d) to read as
follows:
"(a)
Upon written request from the patient or the
patient´s
authorized agent, the provider having custody and control of the
patient´s
record shall furnish a complete and current copy of that record, in accordance
with the provisions of this Code section, within a reasonable period of time
not to exceed 30 days from the receipt of the request or, if the provider
requires payment before furnishing the records, 30 days from the receipt of the
payment, whichever is
later."
"(d)
Any person who knowingly violates this Code section shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and may be punished as provided by
law."
SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended by striking subsection (a)
of Code Section 31-33-3, relating to costs of copying and mailing, in its
entirety and inserting in lieu thereof a new subsection (a) to read as
follows:
"(a) The party
requesting the
patient´s
records shall be responsible to the provider for the reasonable costs of copying
and mailing the
patient´s
record. The provider shall not charge more than 50¢ per page for
copying the records. Payment of such costs may be required by the provider
prior to the records being furnished. This subsection shall not apply to records
requested in order to make or complete an application for a disability benefits
program."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
repealed.